How did the Turks' expansion of the Ottoman Empire and their conquest of the Byzantine Empire and its capital Constantinople in 1453 influence European exploration?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The conquest of Constantinople by the Ottoman Empire led to the closure of the overland trade routes to China, which forced European merchants to seek alternate routes by sea. This, in turn, led to the age of exploration and the discovery of new sea routes to Asia.

How Did the Turks' Expansion of the Ottoman Empire and Their